An unusual proposal, a glorious wedding

Vladimir Paniouchkine and Victoria Sutherlen's wedding party have fun with formal portraits on May 25 at The Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY

Here's how to make the perfect White Russian:

Take one Vladimir Paniouchkine, age 28, born in Riga, Latvia, to a high-ranking military officer and his wife.

Have his family defect and end up in Idaho, with the 15-year-old Vladimir knowing how to say just one useless English sentence: "Please taxi, take me to the train station." Then have him practice and study until he can speak with just the faintest hint of an accent.

Have him work out and train so that he gets recruited to play football at the likes of Yale, USC, Berkeley. Have Vladimir pick Chapman instead. (Go, Panthers!)

Take one Greek goddess. The first week of classes, have the Greek goddess spot him from her throne atop Mount Olympus.

OK, so it was just across the quad on campus, but that doesn't sound as dramatic.

Victoria Sutherlen, 29 (really half Greek), spent the first five years of her life in Greece, and she is in fact very beautiful, so let's still call her a goddess. "I actually do remember having this moment where I felt like time stopped. I just was very attracted to him physically," remembers the goddess, who was raised in Pasadena. "There was something about him that I really liked."

Have Vladimir hook up instead with another girl for two years. Two whole years! But at one point have Vladimir and Victoria pass each other in a dorm hallway. Have her be thrilled that the hunky blond football player said "hi" to her and smiled.

Have him not remember the incident.

"What can I say? I said hi to a lot of girls back then," says Vladimir with an embarrassed grin, his face blushing the color of borscht.

(At this point you might be wondering how great this recipe is, but hang in there.)

In their last semester before graduating, have Vladimir notice Victoria's comely physique from behind (all right, let's just say it, he was staring at her cute butt). She was walking ahead of him to the dance-in-cultures class, an undergrad requirement they'd both put off. Have him realize – geez, finally! – what a goddess Victoria is, and have him cook up all kinds of excuses to talk to her, like asking to borrow her notes and study for tests together.

Have her still remember her first crush at the sight of him, that first day on campus.

Have them fall deeply in love in short order.

Have him notify her of this via Facebook. "May 21 he made it Facebook-official," she says. "I get this notice, 'Vladimir Paniouchkine says you are in a relationship; do you accept or deny?' I didn't do anything right away."

"Because she had to take a picture of it," he says with a laugh.

"No, I printed it out, to save it," she corrects. "He's saying that because I like to take pictures of everything."

Have them get a house in Azusa and move in together. Have him tell her, "I've won the girlfriend lotto!"

Vladimir Paniouchkine and Victoria Sutherlen's wedding party have fun with formal portraits on May 25 at The Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Vladimir Paniouchkine gives his new wife Victoria a playful nestle during formal portraits May 25 at The Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Vladimir Paniouchkine and Victoria Sutherlen marry in a traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony May 25 at St. Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles. PHIL WEBER, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, PHIL WEBER, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Newly married Vladimir Paniouchkine and Victoria Sutherlen enjoy a moment after being dropped off at their reception site, The Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology. JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Victoria Sutherlen and Vladimir jokingly recreate part of their courtship during engagement photos at Chapman University, where the two met. JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Newly married Vladimir Paniouchkine and Victoria Sutherlen enjoy a kiss after their first formal introduction as Mr. and Mrs. Paniouchkine and their wedding party cheers them on at their wedding reception May 25 at The Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Newly married Vladimir Paniouchkine and Victoria Sutherlen smile during formal portraits at The Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology on May 25 in Los Angeles. JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Newly married Vladimir Paniouchkine and Victoria Sutherlen enjoy a kiss before dinner at their wedding reception May 25 at The Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Newly married Vladimir Paniouchkine and Victoria Sutherlen dance at their wedding reception May 25 at The Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Bridal bouquets and the bride's shoes sit ready as the bridal party gets hair and make up done in the bridal suite of The Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology, where the reception was later held. JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY
Newly married Vladimir Paniouchkine and Victoria Sutherlen enjoy a moment after being dropped off at their reception site, The Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology, after marrying May 25 in Los Angeles. JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY, JACKIE JONES, JACQUELYNRACHEL PHOTOGRAPHY

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